Sarkisian shoring up Trojans at CB

Coinciding with the emotional departure of fan favorite Ed Orgeron just over a month ago, the naming of Steve Sarkisian as USC’s new head coach wasn’t initially met with what you’d call universal enthusiasm. With what he’s accomplished on the recruiting trail in his short time back on campus, however, it’s hard not to be impressed.

Hitting the ground running from the moment he took the job, Sarkisian and the rest of his staff have done a stellar job of not only targeting some elite blue-chippers in the 2014 class -- such as recent tight end commit Bryce Dixon (Ventura, Calif./St. Bonaventure) -- he's also recognizing quality prospects who, though not necessarily possessing a five-star rating, are more than capable of filling a vital need. That’s something that former coach Lane Kiffin didn’t always appear to make a priority, choosing instead to chase high-profile superstars at any, and all costs.